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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · coach · fork · plane · content · ball · bear · race

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. content — the amount
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. plane — a tool
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. race — a contest
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. content — happy
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. race — humankind
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. race — the arms race

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com